Nation confirms first bird cases of avian flu

Amman, Jordan  Jordan confirmed its first cases of bird flu on Friday in domesticated turkeys north of the capital, finding that up to four of the birds had died of the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus.

Turkey, Iraq and Egypt are the only countries in the region where people have died of the H5N1 strain, which has killed a total of 105 people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. But the discovery of sick birds in several Middle Eastern countries has led to extensive slaughters.

Jordan's announcement on the afflicted turkeys came after authorities on Thursday gave people living near the borders with Israel and the Palestinian territories a week to eat any birds they were raising for household consumption, after which they would be slaughtered.